We have been inspired to give to Sidwell Friends because we have been blown away by the quality of the faculty; we want the School to have the means to retain them, properly compensate them, and give them opportunities to stay at the top of the profession. We are also incredibly excited about opportunities like the Center for Ethical Leadership, which will allow the School to engage with the broader community and ensure that the values that have helped shape our daughter are more firmly entrenched for others as she leaves Sidwell Friends.

I have had the opportunity to observe and participate in Sidwell Friends for decades as a parent, trustee, and community member. This close look has strengthened my faith in Sidwell Friends’ commitment to quality education for a diverse community and its ability to nurture young lives. I hope my gift helps Sidwell Friends continue its journey as a place respectful of all people and our planet, where faculty and staff as well as students are constantly learning. Our future will require diverse groups of people working together harmoniously in imaginative ways. It is inspiring to see Sidwell Friends empowering young minds to search for their roles as contributors to the greater good.

So much of what I do now in my profession, I learned from my time at Sidwell Friends: writing persuasively, putting forward ideas, respecting others, working as a team, handling adversity. I am inspired to give because I believe deeply in the mission of Sidwell Friends, and in the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts the School is implementing. It’s exciting to envision the School in five or 10 years.

I give to Sidwell Friends because the financial aid program ensures that the School’s academic and co-curricular resources flow into communities across the DC region, regardless of socioeconomic status. I hope that my contributions as a donor and fundraiser help bridge the gap between deserving future leaders and a world-class education. As today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders, they will rely on the core beliefs they learned here. I look forward to seeing how the School’s recent, unequivocal commitment to identifying and addressing racism, bigotry, and prejudice on campus—specifically anti- Blackness—will be implemented in the culture and curriculum.

Every year, I give to Sidwell Friends because the teachers, staff, and community raise our students to value how powerful their voices can be! The School instills in students the belief that an individual can make real change, tackle a problem head on, and be persistent until the change comes about. I am so proud of how my classmates, alumni, and current students take leadership seriously, think critically, and engage thoughtfully on the biggest issues facing our world today.

It is an honor to give back to an institution and community that has given our family the life-long gifts of education, friendship, and foundational values. As an alumna, I have had the genuine privilege of experiencing a Sidwell Friends education first-hand. As a parent watching my own children learn and grow, I now have insight into the extraordinary leadership team, operational excellence, and profound care that goes in to delivering a Sidwell Friends education and helping students realize their singular and collective purpose and potential. The essence and mission of the School is shaping our students to not only meet this moment, but all those to come—with ethical leadership grounded in uncompromising integrity, commitment to equity and justice, searching curiosity, and critical thinking balanced by optimism.

We are inspired to support Sidwell Friends because of its unique pedagogical environment and longstanding commitment to exemplary social-equity values. As a family of color, we believe it is crucial that our children be inculcated with deep and lasting ethical precepts—particularly at this critical juncture in our children’s intellectual, social, and moral development, and in our nation’s history. An institution that provides both a superb education and exemplary civic values creates a priceless, lifelong benefit for individuals and society. That is what excites us most about Sidwell Friends: the nurturing, preservation, and consistent provision of these values to future generations of children. Only through the efforts of institutions such as Sidwell Friends will we continue to create candidates who have the capacity to act in the best interest of others as future leaders.

Looking at my adult children, both of whom were lifers at Sidwell Friends, I still see the ongoing influence of the School in the ways they respect others, are guided by a desire to improve society, and speak out about injustices. The School’s focus on interdisciplinary studies and ethical leadership assures me that Sidwell Friends remains a unique learning environment that can shape society through a relevant and value-based educational experience.

Every year, I hope my gift helps at least one student have an opportunity to find something they will enjoy doing or revisit something they have found challenging before. I believe if we present opportunities for them to learn through different experiences, interactions, and education, it will equip them to express themselves comfortably to others.

We give to help Sidwell Friends support professional development and competitive salaries for faculty and staff, while also keeping its commitment to need-based financial aid for students. I am delighted that Sidwell Friends plans to bring all three divisions of the School to a unified campus. This will be a big step in strengthening interdivisional collaboration of faculty, staff, and students that will create a stronger learning environment and community.